Broken Waltz
by Vahn C. Wyrd
Summary: Tatara hates himself. He hates that he loves dancing, yet thinks of regretting to dance. Because he couldn't take their competitive rivalry anymore. The more they compete, The more they become rooted as friends. He hates himself, and thinking of quitting to dance, just to have a chance and be selfish.


**Spring, April 08, 20XX**

***step***

***step***

***click***

"Hey… Tatara."

***swish***

***step***

***step***

"Yes?"

***tap***

***step***

***click***

"...Are you alright?"

"Hm? Why wouldn't I be?"

***tap***

***tap***

***click***

***step***

"...No, nothing, nevermind."

Below a building somewhere in Tokyo, is a studio dedicated to teaching dance. A spacious place where people would teach, learn, and practice dancing. One can view inside the studio just by the small rectangular windows at the upper side of the building facing the street. The music almost never ending as it continuously plays for the people to dance to. A wall of mirror reflects the small sunlight from the windows at its side and the performers, illuminating their figures and showing their reflection. Letting them see their posture, perfections, and imperfections as they move their bodies to the music.

***click***

***step***

***swish***

Inside this studio, the reflection of two individuals can be seen. Swaying slowly, delicately, to the music filling the room. Subtle motions of movement intricately made as they move around the wooden floors. Their feet tapping and swaying with the song.

A woman with orange hair and slim figure sways, all the while clinging to her partner. Chinatsu Hayama is her name, tenacious and untamable. Wild yet delicate, rough yet gentle, firm and also kind. A rare gem with the talent and passion for dance and dance alone.

***step***

***swish***

***step***

Her partner, a man with unkempt black hair. Guides her movements as they slowly stop with the song reaching its end. Tatara Fujita. Once timid and lacking confidence, now filled with unwavering resolve and determination to follow his passion for dancing. Kind, gentle, and mildly prideful of his skills. Qualities he acquired as he continued his career of professional dancing together with his inspiration and muses, his coach and his friends.

***step***

***swish***

With a flourish, Tatara spun his partner as he let go, letting her spin and stop just a few feet away from him.

***clap* *clap* *clap***

"Well done guys, that was wonderful!"

At the middle corner near the entrance of the studio, is a counter where a beautiful girl with light brown hair stood. Clapping at the choreography she saw in front of her.

"Thanks, Tamaki-san."

"Thank you Maki-san"

"Umm… Excuse me miss-"

Before Tamaki could reply to the duo, a couple just came in and inquired to her about the schedule of the studio. Upstarts finding a place for practice. As she entertained the couple, the duo who was dancing a while ago was now sitting at one of the benches beside the room with the only windows of the studio above it. Chinatsu with her knees raised to her chest, her head resting on top of it while her hand holds the uncapped water bottle beside her. Tatara had his legs sprawled out, gulping down the water his body needs to restore its vigor.

Minutes passed as they rest their bodies from the extensive training they've been doing for a few hours. Chinatsu kept glancing at the man beside her from time to time, trying to come up with something to say, yet kept coming up short. Until, finally…

"Hey, Tatara…"

"Unn?"

Tatara grumbled inquisitively as he still held the bottle to his mouth.

"...Are you-"

Chinatsu paused, somehow finding it hard to say what was on her mind.

"...Against it?"

***Puha~***

"-against what?"

"You know... About them?"

Chinatsu was nervous. She was never good at being subtle or beating around the bush. She preferred to just go straight to the matter at hand. But this was a too sensitive topic that even she knows cant just be done with straight forwardness.

Tatara was a bit confused at first before understanding glimmered in his eyes. He turned his head back to the dance floor and softly sighed.

"Geez, you're like, the 6th person to ask me that this day and yesterday."

"I see... So?"

Tatara looked back at her, confusion in his face.

"So...?"

"You didn't answer my question."

Brief silence enveloped them as Tatara slowly constructed his answer. Knowing full well that if he didn't answer his partner seriously, he might be dancing with only one functioning eye later or worse.

"I am. I was surprised at first when Marisa-sensei announced it, and a little sad that they didn't tell us themselves..."

He then flashed a smile as he said the next words while facing his orange haired partner.

"But, I am very happy for them!"

Chinatsu didn't react. Not knowing what emotion she should display as she absorbed the words he just said. The orange haired dancer only nodded slowly and hummed to acknowledge that she heard him.

_So he says... But-_

Noticing the clock, Tatara slowly got up and walked to the center of the dance floor once more. Stretching his arms for awhile to get rid of the stiffness he still feels.

_The dance he performed 2 nights ago-_

Tatara turned to his partner. Held his hand and smiled.

_That breath taking, mesmerizing-_

"Once more, Chi-chan!"

_Heartbreaking-_

Chinatsu only stared at her goofy, idiotic partner for a moment before standing up and walking towards him while stretching her arms, trying to rid it with the stiffness from their previous dance.

_Dance filled with so much sadness and longing..._

When they were a meter apart, they positioned themselves to a stance. Their hands hovering in the air, backs straight as a rod, and their soles firmly planted on the ground.

_A dance so hauntingly beautiful-_

Their vision and senses blacked out their surroundings, only seeing each other. The minor movements, the rise and fall of each others chest. When the music finally started, they slowly walked to each other, their hands landing on their partners bodies as if they fit like puzzle pieces. After a few more seconds of pause, they then slowly started to sway.

_A dance so-_

Chinatsu looked at Tatara. Noticing his smile up close, she remembered his answer from earlier, contrast to what happened 2 nights before... She then began to wonder.

Is that smile genuine?

_...Broken._

* * *

**Author's note:**

**In celebration of the author's return, I finally released this fic from a long time ago. Chapter 2 Whenever.**


End file.
